What is the general relationship between stream gradient and channel width? What

Question

What is the general relationship between stream gradient and channel width?

What is the general relationship between stream gradient and floodplain width?

How would you expect a stream’s valley to change with time in terms of the channel width, the valley width, and the sinuosity?

Consider a large block of land that is uplifted high above its surroundings to form a plateau. At first, the area is high above its base level and can have a steep stream gradient. While the stream gradient is steep, which type of erosion is more likely—downward or lateral? (Circle one.)

Later, the gradient decreases. Which type of erosion is more likely then?

Explanation / Answer

Genreal formula for cross sectional area of a stream = width * depth.

Stream gradient can be related with channel width in the way that the gradient is measured as the ratio between the elevation drop of the stream and the horizontal distance.

The stream gradient increases with the rise in water level.

Sinuousity = Stream Length/ Velley Length. Rivers are straight, meandering or braided. Straight rivers have minimal sinuousity. i.e. less than 1.1. Meandering rivers have sinuosity >1.5. Braided rivers flows into kore than two channels.

Whike the stream gradient is steep, downward erosion is predominant. Later, as the gradient decreases, latral erosion is predominant.

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